Reverse Sear Steak
This reverse-sear steak recipe gives you ultimate control! Cooks to any doneness, with a savory, flavorful crust. Best steak of your life!
If you’re planning a special romantic dinner at home, may I suggest this reverse sear steak recipe? I can’t imagine anything better!
My son taught me this method. How about that?? I know, I can’t believe it.
It’s the only way I make steak now. And we love it!
Steak night is a special treat around our house. We don’t do it often, so when we do, we want it to be amazing.
And this recipe doesn’t disappoint!
It cooks up so tender and juicy. You can get it to any doneness you like. And it’s seasoned boldly but simply, so the rich flavor of the beef really shines.
The process is a little different, but if you keep on reading, you’ll understand why I love reverse-seared steak so much! And you’ll be a convert too.
Table of Contents
- What is reverse-seared steak?
- Why cook steak with this method?
- What does this recipe taste like?
- Ingredients
- Special equipment
- How to reverse sear a steak
- How to serve
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- A few more of my best main dish recipes
What is reverse-seared steak?
This is a steak recipe with what might seem to be an unusual cooking method.
The idea is to partially cook the steak first in the oven, and then sear it in a skillet to create that gorgeous brown crust.
Why cook steak with this method?
- Tastes amazing: This is always going to be number one! It’s gotta taste great, and this does. Beefy and robust, juicy, and tender as butter.
- Control: This method gives you ultimate control. It takes out all the guesswork!
- Few ingredients: The steak is seasoned simply but boldly, for lots of savory flavor but without overpowering the rich taste of the beef..
- Easy to make: There’s nothing to it!
- Versatile: This method allows you to cook your steak to whatever your preferred doneness.
What does this recipe taste like?
I really like to let the natural flavor of the beef take the spotlight here. So the meat cooks up with a rich, hearty, savory flavor that you’re going to love.
It’s also meltingly tender, with a sharply seasoned crust that contrasts beautifully with the silky quality of the meat.
Ingredients
Steak: The cut you choose will depend on what your priority is. If it’s flavor, grab a thick ribeye. Tenderness? Filet mignon. And if you’re looking to save money, I’d recommend a New York strip steak. This recipe will teach you how to cook it straight from the fridge. But if you prefer to allow it to come up to room temp first, it will still work beautifully.
Salt: I always cook with kosher salt because it’s cheap and easy to source at any supermarket. It’s also pure. There are no additives (such as iodine) that can cause a bitter aftertaste.
Pepper: Ground black pepper is the perfect complement to steak!
Garlic powder: I season nearly all my savory recipes with garlic powder. I prefer it over fresh garlic because it’s easy and I like the taste. It’s mellow; it doesn’t have that sharp bite of raw garlic.
Special equipment
- Oven-safe pan: On which to bake the steak.
- Thermometer: This is the most important thing. It will tell you exactly when to remove the steak from the oven and from the pan.
- Tongs or a fork: For picking up and turning the meat.
- Heavy-bottomed skillet: For searing. Heavy bottomed pots and pans provide more even cooking. I use my enameled cast-iron skillet for this!
How to reverse sear a steak
This easy recipe comes together in 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Season
For a thick piece of meat like what you see here, you’ll want to season quite liberally.
Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
Step 2: Bake
Put the seasoned steak on an oven-safe pan and slide it into a low oven.
You’ll bake it until it hits about 15 degrees F below your desired doneness.
Here’s a little table to make your life easy:
| Doneness: | Bake to: | Sear to: |
| Rare | 115 degrees F | 130 degrees F |
| Medium-rare | 125 degrees F | 140 degrees F |
| Medium | 135 degrees F | 150 degrees F |
| Medium-well | 145 degrees F | 160 degrees F |
| Well-done | 155 degrees F | 170 degrees F |
Step 3: Sear
As soon as your meat reaches your chosen temperature, take it out of the oven and get it onto a lightly greased, smoking-hot pan. Allow it to sear until you have a nice, dark-brown crust, then repeat on the other side.
Step 4: Rest
Resting the meat is really important!
When you first take the meat off of the heat source, all the juices have risen to the surface. Resting allows those juices to work their way back into the meat. So every bite is juicy, all the way to the center.
If you don’t rest your meat, all of those juices will leak out onto your carving board.
Also, as the meat rests, the temperature will continue to rise. Sometimes by as much as 5 to 10 degrees!
How to serve
For the most tender steak possible, slice the meat perpendicular to the grain.
You can eat your steak hot or cold. I really like a cold steak, especially in the summertime! And especially with salad.
As for sides, I can’t imagine anything nicer than cheesy scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach.
A thickly buttered slice of ciabatta would be really good too!
And creme brulee for dessert. Or chocolate lava cake!
Expert tips
The thicker the better: A thicker steak is much easier to cook. It allows you a little more time to get that flavorful crust without overcooking it in the center.
Check often: I’d suggest checking the temperature of your steak about every 5 minutes after the 15-minute mark (if you’ve gone from fridge to oven).
Open a window: If your smoke alarm doesn’t go off while you’re searing steak, you’re probably not doing it right! Turn on your hood fan and open a window, so you don’t go deaf from it.
Frequently asked questions
While I love filet mignon for its tenderness, I think the prize goes to ribeye. It’s what I’ve used for the pictures you see here.
It’s also very tender, but it has a lot more flavor. Look for a thick steak that’s got nice, evenly marbled fat.
I’m not providing cook times because the temperature of the meat is the better guideline. Different ovens produce different results. And it matters what the starting temperature of the steak is. Rather than using a timer, use a thermometer. It’s much more accurate.
But just to give you an idea, the steak you see here went straight from fridge to oven. It took about 25 minutes to reach 125 degrees F, and I seared it for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
I honestly wouldn’t recommend it. Steak tastes so much better freshly cooked! And the active time here is so minimal anyway.
Your cooked steak can sit out at room temperature for an hour or so, but it will keep much longer if it’s refrigerated or frozen.
In the fridge, leftover steak should keep for a few days.
In the freezer, it should last for a few weeks.
Thaw it in the fridge and reheat it in the microwave or (covered) in a 170-degree F oven until warmed through.
A few more of my best main dish recipes
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Reverse Sear Steak
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) steak, (I used one thick-cut ribeye)
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper, (generous)
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.75 g) garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Season the steak on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Place the seasoned steak on an oven-safe pan and bake it in the oven until it reaches a temperature 15 degrees F below the desired doneness (see notes below).
- Sear the steak in a greased, very hot skillet until browned and crusty (approx. 5 minutes on each side).
- Rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Slice perpendicular to the grain and serve.
If you can find it check out Feb 13 issue (?) of Serious Eats where Kenji tests all the myths about cooking steak. Really interesting results. Your method here rates high on his research result.
Great to know! Thanks so much Stu!